windows home edition upgrade vs full

[John]

Hey,

I was just wondering what the difference between the
Windows XP Home Edition upgrade and the XP Home Edition
full. Besides price, what else does the full have that
the upgrade does not? Thanks.

 

[Bob Knowlden]

As far as I know, they are identical, except:

When doing a clean install of XP, the installer for the upgrade version will
ask you to insert "qualifying media" (Win98 or ME install or retail upgrade
CD) as proof of ownership of a qualified earlier version of Windows. (See
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/howtobuy/upgrading/matrix.asp . I
have read that XP won't upgrade Win95, but that a Win95 CD can be used as
qualifying media for a clean XP installation.)

If you have such a CD (I have a Win98 retail upgrade CD), and don't mind
keeping it on hand, then save the $100 (US) and get the upgrade version.

HTH.

Bob Knowlden

Address altered to avoid spam. Replace nkbob with bobkn.

 

[Alex Nichol]

I was just wondering what the difference between the
Windows XP Home Edition upgrade and the XP Home Edition
full. Besides price, what else does the full have that
the upgrade does not?

The *only* difference is that the upgrade version makes a check that you
have evidence of owning a 'qualifying product' for an upgrade discount.
A 'Full' version will do an upgrade of such a qualifying system, but why
pay extra?

There are also OEM versions around, cheaper than Full, but these have
restrictions, no support from Microsoft; will *not* do upgrades, and are
licensed only on the first machine installed on, and may not be
transferred